


Pronunciation

by GateGremlyn



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Challenge Response, Friendship, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-08
Updated: 2011-08-08
Packaged: 2017-10-22 10:12:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/236977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GateGremlyn/pseuds/GateGremlyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassie learns a new word</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pronunciation

I wrote this story in response to a prompt on a list I belong to. The prompt was “duct tape saves the day.” (Mighty Mouse sat in the corner and laughed at me.)

Title: Pronunciation

Author: GateGremlyn

Warnings: Totally gen, definitely G, *totally* corny

Summary: Cassie learns a new word

~::~

“Cassie?”

She waved from across the yard. “Hi, Sam. Hi Murray.”

Murray stood with his hands behind his back and his head tilted to the side, watching Cassie at the other end of her yard. “Samantha, what is she doing?”

“Why she....” I looked for a minute. “She's... um....”

“Cassandra Fraiser,” Teal'c yelled. “Explain yourself.”

Well, that was direct. The girl smiled but kept at her task, ripping pieces of tape into long strips and folding them so they made tubes, sticky sides out. She was placing the tubes on the ground, about five feet apart all around the yard. She'd obviously been at it awhile since the roll was almost empty and the tape tubes covered the yard.

“Janet... Mom said to go outside and play until you guys got here, so I did.”

I like to hear her say “Mom.” Janet had told Cassie that she could call her Mom if and when she was ready. I guess she's finally ready. “That's great, Cassie, but why are you playing with a roll of tape? Don't you have other things to play with?”

“Oh, sure,” Cassie said, placing another piece of tape. “I have lots of toys. Janet... Mom bought me an I-pod last week.”

“Then what are you doing, Cassandra?”

“We went to the park the other day,” she explained, an answer that meant nothing to us.

I rolled my hands for her to continue. "And?"

“And I saw something I wanted, but Mom said I couldn't have it.”

“Your mother is most generous with you. What did you see that you could you not have?”

“A duck.” She placed another piece of tape carefully on the ground. “We don't have birds like those in... Toronto, and I think they're pretty. We have lots of room in the backyard, so if I can just catch one....”

I held up a hand to hide my laughter.

“How will tape assist you in catching one?” Teal'c asked.

“It's duck tape,” she looked at us like we were crazy, “so it must be used to catch ducks, right, otherwise why would they call it duck tape?” She put the last piece by the deck and held up the empty cardboard cylinder.

“No, Cassie,” I said as I sat her down on the steps. “It's not duck tape, it's duct tape.” I tried to distinguish between one pronunciation and the other, obviously with little success since Cassie just stared at me.

“Duct tape,” I tried again, “is used to wrap ducts.”

Her eyes went wide. “Why would you want to wrap a duck?” she asked. “That would be cruel! I just want them to land in my yard and visit, not hurt them.”

“No, no, not a duck 'quack quack,'” I made a flapping motion with my elbows, “a duct D-U-C-T, a round tube that carries warm air from your basement to the rest of the house. Duct tape helps hold the pieces of the pipe together.”

“It is also used in many other repairs,” Teal'c added. “I frequently carry duct tape in my pack when I travel to... Toronto. It is very useful.”

“Oh, duct tape.” She said the word slowly and stressed the “t.” “I've got it now.” She went down the steps, a little frown on her face, and starting picking up the tape, bunching each piece in her hand.

“I'm sorry, Cassie,” I said as I walked beside her.

“It's okay. It wasn't a very good idea anyway.”

“Well, how about this?” I suggested. “How about we put out some kind of food the ducks like and see if we can attract them that way?”

“Food?” She stopped and thought. “Mom and I took bread to the park. Do you think that would work?”

“Why not? At least it's worth a try.”

She grinned. “Here, Murray. Hold this until I get back.” She stuffed the rolled-up mass of tape into his hands. The door slammed and we heard “Mom!”

“What am I to do with this, Cassandra?” he called after her. “Are we saving this to throw for your canine companion?” He squished the tape together until it was an uneven gray ball stuck to his hand.

"Dog, Teal'c. It's a dog. And I don't think your ball would work with a dog. It's too sticky."

"Then what am I to do with it?" He held it out and looked at it as if some great bug had landed on his palm.

"Save it." I patted him on the back and ignored the glare. "It might come in handy the next time we go to... Toronto."

He pressed the ball into my hands before he went into the house. “I have no desire to travel to Toronto again. Cassandra?” he called. “Where is your dog?”

~::~


End file.
